Mechanism for cleaning shell-fillers.



E. D. SMITH-GREEN.

MECHANISM FOR CLEANING SHELL FILLERS.

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E. D. SMlTH-GREEN.

MECHANISM EOR CLEANING SHELL'FILLERS.

APPLICATION mm) 050.9. I916- 1 ,232 ,401 o Patented July 3, 1917.

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I E. D. SMITH-GREEN. MECHANISM FOR CLEANING SHELL FILLERS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-9,1916. 232,401 Patented July 3, 1917 3 SHEETSSHEEI' 3- PMOmEIT'dm. wASNINGmM EDWARD D. SMITH-GREEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MECHANISM FOR CLEANING SHELL-FILLERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3,1917.

Application filed December 9, 1916. Serial No. 136,058.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDW'ARD D. SMITH- GREEN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain useful Improvements in Mechanism for Cleaning Shell-Fillers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawmg. I

The present invention relates to the art of the manufacture of ammunition, and has articular reference to a device for cleaning shell fillers, or funnels, which are employed for directing and holding molten fillers as they are placed in the shell, the substance placed in the shell cooling and adhering to the fillers or funnels, and forming a. lining therein.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for removing this lining, and for accomplishing this result rapidly and without the necessity of manual labor, such as is now done in common prac tice, and to provide a mechanism which is comparatively simple in construction, which may be economically constructed, and one which may be operated by relatively light ower.

The above, and other objects and advantages of this invention will be more particularly brought out in the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment of this invention, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure l is a side elevation of a cleaning mechanism constructed according to the present invention, the supporting casing being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken through the casing, midway between the upper and lower portions thereof, and showing parts of the mechanism in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a detail enlarged view of the receiver.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 6 is a detail further enlarged sectional view taken through one side of the receiver.

Fig. 7 is a detail plan view, partly in section, of one of the wheels employed and the connection of the rocker shaft therewith.

tion, of the gripper employed.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail elevation of the rocker arm and rocker shaft, the latter being in section.

Fig. 10 is a detail side elevation, partly '5:

in section, of the parts shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a detail side elevation of the upper end of a shell showing the position of a filler or funnel mounted thereon for directing the contents in the shell, the filler or funnel being partly broken away.

Fig. 12 is a detail enlarged sectional view of one of the fillers'after the same has been used, and showing the adhering'substance on the inner wall thereof.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view, enlarged, of a portion of the turret.

Referring to these drawings, wherein like parts are designated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views,

10 designates a support which is shown in the present instance as comprising a housing or inclosure. A standard or post 11 is mounted for rotation in the housing 10, and has its lower end seated in a stepped bearing 12, and the post 11 is provided above said bearing with a relatively large ratchet wheel 13. The post 11 extends upwardly through the top 14 of the support and passes through a bearing block 15 secured to the top of the support, and has on its upper end a turret 16, fixed to the post to be intermittently turned with the same.

As shown to advantage in Figs. 1, 2, and 13, the turret comprises a circular frame upon the periphery of which are secured pairs of spring retaining fingers 17 which are suitably spaced apart and are adapted to yieldingly receive therebetween, and between the periphery of the turret 16, a plurality of fillers 18. The fillers 18, as shown in Fig. 12 particularly, are of frusto-conical form, and are adapted to be inserted by hand between the pairs of fingers 17 with their smaller ends directed downward.

The support 10 is provided, in the bottom thereof, with a transversely extending rocker shaft 19, suitably journaled in the opposite sides of the support, and provided at one end with a serrated or toothed enlargement 20, upon which is adapted to be fitted the internally toothed hub 21 of a rocker arm 22. The rocker arm 22 extends above and below the rocker shaft 20, and has pivotally connected to its lower enda pawl rod 23, adapted to swing in a horizontal plane above the bottom of the support. The pawl ratchet wheel 13 for rotation in'one direc'- tion.

The rockershaft 19 may be reciprocated in any suitable manner, and in the present instance the upper end of the rocker'arm22 is connected to a p'itman 26, which has its opposite end passingth rough' a slot 27 in one' end of the'support 10, and secured to a pit man wheel 29' fixed upon a main shaft '30 adapted to'be driven in any suitable man-' ner.

The rockershaft 19 is also provided, pref erably at its intermediate portion, with a second enlarged serrated or toothed portion 31, over which is fitted a disk 32, the latter having internal teeth or serrations, ad'apted to intermesh-with the projections on the enlargement 31. Fixed upon the rocker shaft 19 at the opposite sides of the disk 32 is a pair of radially extending arms 33, to theouter ends'of which areconnected'links 34,

the latter having pivotalconnection at their free ends to a knocker'arm 35'. The knocker arm 35 extends upwardly through a'slot 36 formed in the top 14'of the support and is provided upon its'uppe'r end with a pair of gripping fingers 37, adapted to be swung by the arm 35 into engagement with the fillers 18 one at a time. A spring 38, or the like, may be connected to the arms 37 to yield ingly'hold the same in closely spaced'apa rt relation, the spring 'being' adapted" to yield topermit the ends of the fingers 37 to' engage around the fillers 18 as the gripper is forced toward the turret. The fingers 37 are each connected to a rod 39 which extends downwardly, the rods passing against the outer sides of the radially extending arm,- and being bent inwardly at their lower ends and pivotally secured upon a pin- 40 to the opposite sides of the disk 32.

The casing 10 is provided at one end, opipo'site to that upon'which'the turretissupported, with a bracket 41 extending above the top 14 and supporting the upper end of a chute 42. The chute 42' exten ds downwardly from the base of the supportand empties into a grinder 43, or the like, in which the material extracted from the fillers may be groundand prepared for re-heatjing.

Upon the upper end of the chute 42 is placed a receiver, the same comprising a base ring 44', encirclin'gthe upper end of the chute and provided with a plurality of outwardly ex tending springs 45, whichconverge and are secured at. their upper ends to a 'bufier'ri'ng' 46. Thebuffer ring 46 is provided with a number of outwardly flaring fingers 47,

adapted to receive the enlarged end of the filler 18. A flexible lining 48 is placed in the receiver, inside of the springs to prevent the escape of 'the material outwardly through the springs. This receiver is adaptedto" yield when submitted to shock incident to the impact of the filler thereagainst.

F rom Fig. 5, particularly, it will be noted that the base and buffer rings and46 are made insections, the same being hinged together, as at 49', one-half of the receiver being fixed upon the upper end of the chute' and thefree end of the'opposite half being connectedto an opening 'l'ever '50, which is pivoted as at 51'toone side of the upper end of the" chute." The upper end of the lever 50'-'is' provided with a longitudinalslot, 52, into which projects a pin 53, the latter extending froms'aid fre'e'e'nd of the said receiver'se'ction. Thelower end of the open leyer 50 is' connected to a rod" 54" whichextends downwardly through a slot 55 formed the top of the support 10; The lbwer end of the rod 54 ispivote'd to the-disk 32 and is'adapte'd 'to'be rocked by the turning-"of the disk.

The top 14 of the support is provided with an upwardly extendingramefi', which lies in the" path of the rods 39 "and is adapted: to" engage between the same? when the carrier the pouring'in ofthe' material, which may be tri-nitrat of tolu'ol'. "The material is poured into the filler 18 in a moltenstate,

a certainp'ortionj of the niaterial"eollects againstthef sides of the filler, and upon cooling'fa'dheresj to'the' sides, and maybe removed only with difliculty.

In the operation'of the improved machine,

thesefil lers are" placedbetweenthe spring:

fingers 17 on the turret with theinreduccd endsextending"downwardly. The wheel 29 is t'urn'edf-an'd the pitmarirod 26"actuates the rockerarm 22 to move the pawl rod23 and intermittently rotate'the' turret"16, so

as to bringthe' fillers, one ata' time, into position; f'The rocker shaft" 19 is "'recipro-V cated by: this movement and the arms 33 are swung toward the turret;"the rods'39'=being simultaneously moved "towarththe turret: The gripping fingers37 are'thu's swung into a substantially horizontal position, and are caused to'bear at their 'free endjsagainstthe opposite sidesof the filler 18;"ex'panding the fingers and permitting "the 'ehgagementof' the fingers about the filler. From F 8'it will be particularly noted"th':it the fingers are adapted to'swing inia vertical plane, and to alsomove"toward"and from each other."

The advance movement of the turret is 'accompanied by a partial rotationofthe disk 32, which raises the rods 39 and si1nultaneously carries the radially extending arms over into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1. These movements of the arms 33 and the rods 39 cause the gripper to overturn, and swings the knocker arm 33 with considerable force over against the receiver, the filler 18 being carried by the gripper and brought with considerable impact against the top ring 46 and between the fingers 47. This impact is sufficient to dislodge the coated material which adheres to the inner wall of the filler, and this incrustation is yieldingly held in the top ring of the receiver. At the same time, the rods 39 are spread apart by the cam 56, as they reach the limit of their movement toward the receiver and the fingers 37 are therefore spread apart sufficiently to release the filler. The mouth of the receiver is of such size that the filler is not permitted to pass therethrough, and frequently the linings or ejected material binds in the receiver. For this purpose, the rod 54: is provided for separating the receiver sections to enlarge the throat of the receiver and permit the free falling of the material into the chute 4:2, and finally into the grinder 43 or other desired place of deposit.

The toothed enlargements 20 and 31 permit of the adjustment of the rocker arm 22 about the shaft 19, and the adjustment of the disk 32 upon the shaft, so as to control the portion of the gripping device, and to advance the turret during the movement of the carrier toward the delivering chute.

It is of course to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention, without departing from the spirit thereof, and being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

WVhat is claimed is 1. In a mechanism as specified, an intermittently rotating turret, a chute, a receiver on the upper end of the chute, a gripper adapted to engage fillers one at a time on said turret, and operating means connected to said turret and to said gripper for moving the turret and for overturning and swinging said gripper against the open end of said chute to impact the filler thereagainst and jar adhering particles therefrom.

2. In a mechanism as specified, the combination of a movable filler support, a de livery chute, a receiver fitting over the open end of said chute, and combined gripping and carrying means adapted for engagement with the fillers one at a time to carry the same from said support and impact the fillers against said receiver, said means having connection with said movable support for intermittently advancing the same.

3. In a mechanism as specified, the com- &

bination with a support, a turret mounted on the support, a carrier pivoted on the support and having gripping arms upon its open end, a delivery chute, an eXpansible receiver mounted on the upper end of the chute, and a singly operating means connected to said turret to advance the same to said carrier to deliver fillers from the turret with impact against said receiver, and with said receiver to expand the same to release accumulations therein from the filler.

I. In a mechanism as specified, a support, a filler receiving turret mounted on the support, a rocker shaft on the support, and connection between the rocker shaft and the turret to intermittently advance the same, a receiver mounted on the rocker shaft adapted for movement toward and from the turret, means connected to the rocker shaft and to said carrier for engaging the fillers and withdrawing the same one at a time from the turret, said means being adapted to over turn the fillers, a delivery chute having an open end in the path of said carrier, and a receiver on said open end of the delivery chute adapted to receive with impact thereagainst the fillers for jarring the contents thereof into the chute.

5. In a mechanism as specified, a filler supporting turret, a carrier, gripping means on the carrier, a rocker shaft, an adjustable connection between the rocker shaft and the turret for advancing the latter at a predetermined position of the rocker shaft, and an adjustable connection between the gripper and the rocker shaft for regulating the operation of the gripper relatively to the rocker shaft.

6. In a device of the kind described, in combination a horizontally rotatable turret, a chute inclining in the direction of said turret, a resilient receiver on top of said chute, said turret receiving and holding fillers, means for intermittently actuating said turret, means actuated in time with said tur- 1v ret for disengaging each filler in turn from said turret and simultaneously jamming the filler forcibly against said receiver, and a common means of operating said first and second named means.

7. In a device of the class described, in combination, a casing, a horizontal shaft journaled therein, a disk mounted on said shaft, an upwardly inclined chute secured to the upper cover of said casing, a resilient 12 receiver secured on said chute, a filler gripper having separable gripping arms, a carrier for said gripper controlled by said disk so as to move toward said chute to deposit the filler against the resilient receiver, and 25 means controlled by said disk for separating the gripping arms of said filler upon the depositing of the latter against said resilient receiver.

8. In a device of the class described, in 130 combination a support, a chute secured to the upper end thereof, a horizontal shaft in said support, a disk mounted on said support, a pair of radial arms secured on opposite sides of said disk, links pivotally secured to the upper ends of said radial arms, an upwardly extending knocker arm pivotally secured to the outer ends of said links a pin passing through the upper end of said knocker arm, bearings journaled on said pins, hook-shaped gripper arms pivoted on said bearings, a coiled spring connecting the inner edges of said gripper arms, a pair of resilient rods pivotally secured at their lower ends to said disk and at their upper ends un der said gripping arms, said resilient arms normally disposing said gripper arms in a horizontal plane and adapted to swing over toward said chute together With said knocker arms so as to overturn said gripper arms,

wardly from and secured to said base ring, a

sectional buffer ring having its sections hinged together at one end, a series of out-. ardly fiarlng fingers secured on said bufferring, an openlng lever pivoted tosaid base ring and loosely connected to said bufier ring, and means adapted to actuate said opening lever.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EDWARD n. SMITH-GREEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

